Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Hey, your new board came in...




...if you had the forethought to order one a few months ago.







This 5'6" Round nose Fish is for Tom!



Dimensions: 5'6" x 19 1/4" x 2 1/4"

Tom decided to go with 5 future fin boxes giving him the option to ride his new shred sled as a thruster, quad, twin fin, or who knows maybe even a 5 fin bonzer or single fin. Oh the possibilities...

Monday, December 29, 2008

New Lost customs tomorrow, but today..

... some pictures of an old board


















This Channel Islands, circa late 70's, is a great example of some revolutionary ideas of the time that didn't quite stick around, like those wings halfway up on the rail that make the board look like an arrow head. There are a few modern stingers today but for the most part this shape seems to have taken a back seat... for now.














Can you believe Al was using a laminate with his name even back then? You may recognize the CI logo from their retro twin fin they make now but instead of saying "Ventura Santa Barbera" on the bottom the new ones say "Shaped by Al Merrick".

reader feedback...

"it would be nice if you would post pics of new boards as they arrive in the shop.i am looking for a new board from you guys but i dont live in the charleston area.that way people would not call and bother you guys and we could see the boards."

"Yeah, I like the idea of posting photos of new board arrivals. Harbour surfboards does or did that on their web page. It is probably a pain to do, especially if you give the measurements along with the pic.....it would be nice Drew!"


You guys have a really good idea here, and that's what the blog started out as, but its not at easy as it sounds. Most boards arrive in the Spring and Summer months when the bulk of surfboard sales occur. With the cost of boards rising and the economy in the crapper (where I happen to be at the moment) many clear, "boring to look at, but fun to ride surfboards" come through the shop and posting them is a drag. When the interesting boards do come in they always make it up on the blog. Problem is that no one is buying boards, so no new boards can come in. So the best thing to do is buy a board that's in the shop already, which were planning to do already, but at a discounted price.

The guys and girls in the shop would love for you to call and bother them, trust me. It's winter, it's slow and they're probably starving for human interaction right now. It would help their day go by a lot faster, and you could get some ideas on a new wave slider. Unfortunately for you, the only new shipment coming in this week is a box of custom orders from ...Lost, which I personally sneezed into the box before it left California. Drew will surely post some pics of these just to make you jealous that you didn't order one a couple months ago.

So call the shop 843-588-2247, harass them, ask questions, tell them to post pics of a board you may be interested in, or even email them directly to you. They are there to help.

Sean F. on his custom 5'8" MOIST "Muffin Top" model, shaped by yours truly, on a Folly macker. Oh, to have that wave right now.

Friday, December 26, 2008

shop of the...

...week? Is there even 52 shops that carry ...Lost? Anyway its like throwback week or something, dusting off some old pictures and such. The shop gets props over on the ...Lost website right here. Brilliantly written piece...

I'm sure it went something like this:


Boss: Dude you can totally go home as soon as you take this bong rip and finish the McKevlin's piece for the website.

Dude: OK...(gurglurglugurl... cough, cough...cough) its done!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

3rd times a charm...

Pets. They don't come when you call 'em, but the instant you want them to be as far away as possible they're right in your face. First Lefty's foot...

...and then Cornwallace...

...and then finally a clear shot of ...Lost Rocket tail rocker. I know, pretty intense stuff happening in my life right now.

Monday, December 22, 2008

groupies...

...Happy Birthday Tim, from all your groupies past and present. Many of you like to think you know Tim and his business...and I'll just leave it at that. Well here's a little glimpse into that world you know very little about, back when Bert's was a bar on Sullivan's Island and Captain Harry's Blue Marlin Bar was a thriving member of the Charleston music scene. Yeah, Mr. Mac was one of the most rockin' bands around with Tim Mckevlin (3rd from left) slappin' the skins Neil Peart style. Take note hipsters, these guys were wearing your clothes 25 years before you came up with that "original" style.
Happy 51st Birthday Tim, and many more to come. Now let's see a reunion tour!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Wouldn't it be great if you could get a board for cost or less...

...well we here at Mckevlin's Surfery couldn't agree more and at the risk of turning the blog into a commercial I thought you should take a look at some of these boards.

Like this brand new Channel Islands V for $470. When is the last time you saw a new CI for under $500? Dimensions: H 6'2" x W 18 1/2" x TH 2 1/4"

How about a new board under $400?


This new HIC Element is $385.
Dimensions: H 6'1" x W 18 3/8 x TH 2 1/4














Another board for under $400, this Chili is $395
Dimensions: H 6'1" x W 18 3/8" x TH 2 1/4"



So if you haven't done all of your Christmas shopping yet then you should hurry because you only have 5 days left. If you don't celebrate Christmas or have done all of your shopping then maybe you should come by and get a considerable discount on a new board (we have more).

Thursday, December 18, 2008

for those who don't surf...

...since there are still a few people who don't surf, you can't get all of your Christmas shopping done at McKevlin's. This is where our some of our loyal customers come in. Global Awakening was started a couple of years ago by surfing couple Michael and Maren McClintock. It's a local business that provides access to products from around the globe that are handmade and environmentally responsible. Take a second to check out their website here and click on "about us" to learn more about their do-gooding. Their storefront on King Street will be open until January, or you can order on the website. Either way you'll be spending money locally, which is good.

Starting tomorrow, Drew will be posting lots of great inexpensive gift ideas for those who do surf. Just another way McKevlin's Surf Shop wishes you "A Happy Festivus!"

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Sometimes you have to pay...

As you probably know, Folly Beach has finally seen a little swell the past couple of days. But as is understood as common knowledge, everything comes at a price. When the waves get good the line up gets crowded, people get hurt. This time it was one of our loyal customers who received a gash splitting his ear in half as he got hit with someone's loose board. So remember to hold on to your board and not to recklessly fling it towards somebody in the water next time there is waves.

...If only Slurry had been there.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

down for life...

...I've been sporting O'neill wetsuits since 1988. How's that for 20 years of loyalty? So if anyone from O'neill wants to flow me or even better HIRE ME, now's the time. I'll also look at matching offers from competing wetsuit companies, only to mock them of course.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Guess who's back...




Yesterday was the highly anticipated Folly Beach Christmas parade and plenty of people showed up for a good time...


...but as with every gathering of people having a good time, some one has to keep an eye on things. Fortunately, the local law enforcement was present and hard at work maintaining order. This leaves just one question, if the police are looking after our safety who is looking after their safety?



There is only one tough enough for the job. Effortlessly blending in with the crowd, it takes a keen eye to spot our hero Slurry Jones. Like a modern manifestation of the elusive Waldo, Slurry J. blends in with the crowd keeping a low profile, but on high alert for trouble.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

All bad things must come to an end...

...and I can't think of a better way to end our flat spell then with waves, even if they are a little disorganized and foggy.


If you look close you can see sets materializing from the foggy abyss.



Here is a pic with the pier in frame to give you a little size reference.



Swell started filling in yesterday, but if you couldn't get out then or today dust off that wetsuit. There should be surf tomorrow, and it's been a while since I could say that.

and at work...

...there is a remote control helicopter flying around my head while I'm trying to make phone calls. There are several things I miss about working at McKevlin's, the "no fly zone" being one of them. So much for the work ethic of my "senior consultant"...

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

on the way to work...


...this is why I don't take the PCH to work. Kind of hard to focus when you know the waves are crackin' and the crowds are slim. Carlsbad doing its thing, for once.

Monday, December 08, 2008

no leash, no problem...

...this trusty tail block from Destination Surf is I need to keep the speed dialer under my feet. Despite the fact that the leash plug happens to be right where my foot feels the best, there is no leash law in the Whale's Vag. Sorry Officer Fife, you'll have to continue busting barneys in South Carolina for now.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Jones'n for a good time...

As you may have known the ...Lost 5'5" x 191/4 Redux premiere was last Friday and had a pretty good turn out...
...and we gave some stuff away, but it wasn't all sunshine and lollipops...


...Lost knew things might get a little rowdy so they sent us one of their top security agents, Slurry Jones, to keep everything in order.





Here is old Slurry hard at work keeping an eye on some suspicious characters...


...but don't be fooled by his seemingly oblivious intoxication, as you can see, it was all a ploy to lure his enemies into a false sense of security. He could then regulate without opposition as he did with this alleged pop out enthusiast.




Thank you Slurry Jones for keeping us all safe. Without your coherent supervision the evening surely would have been disasterous.


Friday, December 05, 2008

You call that a wave?


With Ian always posting his pictures of crowded west coast fury, I thought I would let him know exactly what he is missing out on ...
... like these perfect uncrowded lefts breaking off of the pier...


... and that peak out in front of the condos, the washout must be going off !


Alright, I wouldn't call those waves. Just another day out on the lake. Looks like a little something early next week though. Until then, why don't you come to the 5'5" x 191/4" Redux movie premier tonight at 7:00pm and 9:00pm at Surf Bar. Free admission and we have tons of stuff to give away.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

request for fair wages causes popout factory to close its doors...

...click here... is nice, but will it last past Monday? Click here too. I dropped in on the guy who wrote this today.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

send in the clowns...

...on second thought, don't send in the clowns. Saw two guys paddle out late afternoon for a SUP sunset cruise in Cardiff. I think its great that more and more surfers are coming out of the closet, and some are even having sex changes.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

popout bandit sighting...

...like the mystical Sasquatch, the Popout Bandit quickly disappears from sight into a crowded Suckouts for a couple of late arvo bowls...

...meanwhile at lunch, Swami's lives up to its nickname Swarmi's, this is just the main peak crowd...

...you never get lonely on a wave at Swami's. I didn't know which way to go on most of my waves, so I just followed the guy in front of me.

Monday, December 01, 2008

We don't take too kindly to pop outs 'round here.

Tim actually hates them so much he made me cut up all of the rental boards...


...and pile them up so other pop outs can see what to expect if they come around.



Actually, we were just getting rid of some un-seaworthy rental boards and had to cut them down so the sanitation officers will take them. Don't worry, no one is missing out on riding these boards. Especially the ones plagued with issues like a reverse rocker.



Sunday, November 30, 2008

One down...


... one hundred more to go.
The mass manufactured pop-out surfboard brand known as Anacapa or more accurately Anacrapa is no more. While there may still be an Anacapa shop in Ventura, the boards are out of production. In case you are unfamiliar with the brand, Anacapa is a company that is owned by the nefarious Global Surf Industries. Capitalizing on the name of Al Merrick by using a few of his shapes, these boards are considered much inferior due to the use of unskilled labor and inferior materials.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

sorry john...

...the John Kalagian Team Challenge is no more. Its now the vinyl-wrapped popout Liquid Shredder team challenge. Guess who rides these boards? Nobody surfing in the team challenge is the correct answer. Just another example of how Folly Beach "jumped the shark". Is this how we honor John Kalagian, a man that many local surfers hold in such high regard is getting second billing to a foamy beginner board? I'm ashamed for the ESA. What's next, the Summer's Eve Wahine Challenge? I can't be certain, but I smell a douche...

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What are you doing next Friday?

Why don't you see a movie?

Friday December 5th Surf Bar will be premiering the highly anticipated new movie from Lost 5' 5" x 19 1/4" REDUX. And guess what they've released it with two versions. An edited version for the younger crowd which will be shown at 7:00 pm and an unedited version which will be shown at 9:00 pm after all the kids have gone to bed. For those of you unfamiliar with the Folly hot spots, Surf Bar is located at 103 W Cooper Ave Folly Beach, SC 29439. Admission is free and there will be some give aways. So now that you know where it is make sure to make it out to enjoy "Chris Ward, Aaron Cormican, and Mason Ho putting sub 5’ 6” boards to their limits. Also featuring sections from Shane Beschen, Kolohe Andino, Dane Reynolds, Jordy Smith, Ryan Carlson and Ol’ Mr. SL9er himself." Check out the teaser trailer here.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

a room with a view...

...you can't see from here, but there's waves in that Pacific Ocean right there. Yeah, its been hell on the body surfing everyday, but I'm getting back in shape fast with lots of burritos and In-n-Out burger.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Back To The Future

A grumpy local brought this little flash from the past by last Sunday. It is amazing how even back then this Country Surfboard circa early 70s was ahead of its time. Imagine a board in which the nose and tale are pretty close to indistinguishable. Maybe riding "switch" was popular back then.

This is the nose.

... or is this?
alright, now it is starting to make sense.
And here it is in all 9 feet of its retro glory. This board was definitely built for shredden some big heavy gnar. And it probably did until it was found in a trash pile in Maui.

P.S. in case you haven't noticed this isn't Ian. He is too busy surfing in California and has passed the ever-burning blog torch to me, Drew, and since I will be here in the surf starved city of Folly I will have plenty of time for posting.